MAITLAND — The executive director of the Central Florida Zoo accepted a settlement of about $125,000 early today in return for leaving the position that he had refused to resign.

The settlement, reached among attorneys about 12:30 a.m. after a 6 1/2- hour board meeting, came after weeks of discord that began May 21, when the zoo board voted 12 to 2 to ask Al Rozon to quit. After he refused, the board agreed to reconsider the issue on grounds that all members did not have adequate notice of the meeting.

This morning, the vote was 12 to 7 to relieve Rozon, 53, of his duties and buy out the remainder of his three-year contract. The settlement includes $92,800 in salary, plus benefits.

Rozon had 29 months left in the three-year contract. His annual salary was $37,500.

''I'm very sad that it had to come to this,'' Rozon said after the settlement. ''We had a strong case, and I am not guilty of any wrongdoing. This action proves they the board agreed to this.''

A memo passed out at the meeting May 21 by Susan Morris, president of the board, accused Rozon, zoo director for 14 years, of mismanagement, misrepresenting information and personality clashes with board members and the public.

Leo Rock, board attorney, had no comment on the settlement. Board members who could be reached after the meeting also would not comment.

It was unclear where the money to pay Rozon will come from.

Thursday's meeting of 19 of the board's 22 members began at 6 p.m. The board initially barred the press, six honorary board members and about 10 other people from entering the meeting.

An hour later, board members agreed to give any honorary member five minutes to voice his or her opinion and allowed the media inside. Then the media were sent out, and Rozon took 15 minutes of his allotted hour to tell the board he would not resign.

Six honorary board members, all past-presidents, gave impassioned statements to what Newman Brock, a Sanford attorney and past board member, described as ''a room full of frenzied sharks.''

Two of the six speakers supported the board's earlier vote asking for Rozon's resignation. The others spoke in favor of Rozon and pleaded with the board to settle their differences.

''We're in a crisis situation now. The big victim here is the zoo. You've made a step, now let's go forward with it,'' said Tom Peterson, a former board member who pushed for Rozon's resignation four years ago but failed.

Gerald Rutberg, a former 15-year member of the zoo board, read a written statement urging the board members to compromise with Rozon. ''I am certain it is legally wrong, fiscally irresponsible and publicly disgraceful,'' said Rutberg, referring to the board's ouster attempt.

Earlier this week Cheney Mason had threatened to try to recall all 22 board members if they failed to reinstate Rozon to the job. Mason said early today he still will push for a recall.